Summer holidays!

This year for summer holidays, we drove out to Ontario, taking 3 days to get out there and 3 days to come back driving through the States. We had nice weather for the almost 2 weeks we were out there. We were fortunate enough to be able to spend the first week of our vacation at Wasaga Beach and were at the beach for 4 of those days. The kids had fun playing in the water and biking around the park where we were staying with their cousins. Megan and Ethan were able to greatly improve their biking skills as a result. Here are a few pictures from our vacation.

 Corner Gas anyone?

It's still there!

 Casey and his bear Brad

 Hannah-Rose on the beach

Ethan playing in the water

 

Cousins!

May Long Weekend

As we tend to do every long weekend, we escaped the city for the Olfert family farm in Saskatchewan. As you may remember, when we went out at Easter there was still HUGE snow drifts around the farm. Fortunately for us, most of that snow has now melted and seeding has begun full tilt! Due to the amount of snow we got this past winter, there was more than enough moisture to saturate the ground around the farm. In fact, the ditches are full of extra water! The kids had fun with Grandpa and Grandma as always and even Hannah-Rose was able to get in on some of the fun!

Here are some pictures from the weekend:

Enjoying goldfish crackers!

 Trying Goldfish for the first time!

 Enjoying the swing!

 Looking out toward the yard from the front of the house.

 The ditch to the east of the driveway.

No trip to the farm is complete without playing in the sandbox!

Spring 2013

Spring has finally come to Alberta and with it some minor excitement at our house. On April 26 (last Friday), while playing in the backyard, Ethan broke his right arm jumping around. He was put to put to bed with some Advil after complaining about his arm hurting but with little visible swelling. The next morning, Daddy took Ethan to the Emergency Room of the Alberta Children's Hospital and was diagnosed with an distal radial buckle fracture. Basically, he broke one of the two bones in his right arm. Due to the fact that the orthopedic technician wasn't due to arrive at the hospital until noon, the doctor on call casted Ethan's arm and he was allowed to go home.

Now that we FINALLY have some nice weather, Jason took advantage of it to start with getting the front and side yards ready for summer starting with raking the grass with the help of the lawnmower. After that, with the mown grass raked into piles, the kids were given the task of picking up all the mown grass and putting it in garbage bags. 

NINE garbage bags later, it was all picked up and the grass was ready for fertilizer!

Since it was such a nice day out, the kids got to wear shorts and I got them busy cleaning up the backyard in preparation for it getting the same treatment as the front and side yards.

 Megan and Ethan picking rocks

 Introducing Hannah-Rose to the grass

Practicing bike riding in the back lane.

Casey's 3rd Birthday!

This past Sunday we celebrated Casey's 3rd birthday with Grandpa and Grandma O. Daddy and I even did our best to make a extra special cake for Casey in the shape of a dump truck complete with buttercream icing. Here are some pictures!

 The cake!

 Animal Planet boat with animals from Auntie Sandra and Auntie Terri-Lyn.

 Wildlife helicopter and animals by Animal Planet from Grandpa & Grandma M.

 A cement truck from Mommy and Daddy

 Mega Bloks Thomas and a Fisher Price Little People Space Ship from Grandma & Grandpa O.

A pedalless bike also from Mommy and Daddy.

Easter 2013

As many people know, we tend to head east every long weekend to the Olfert family farm south of Swift Current, SK starting at Easter. This year was only a little bit different. This year we not only couldn't go straight to the farm, but we didn't even stay the whole weekend as there was so much snow piled in the yard, the men couldn't even get any machines out of the machine shed. Megan, Grandpa and Daddy had fun trying to dig a tunnel in the snow next to the house and Grandpa took the kids sledding on the drifts too.

Here are some pictures of just how deep the drifts are in the farm yard.

Megan beside her snow tunnel

 Farm yard looking west

 Looking north at the garage

Drifts beside the garage

Looking toward the barn

Looking east at the front yard

Hannah-Rose at 6 months

February marks Hannah-Rose's 6 month "birthday"! Here's how she's doing:

Weight: 14 lbs 13 oz.

Height: 43 cm

She gets better at sitting up every day, enjoys watching her siblings play, LOVES the Jolly Jumper and has "graduated" from her infant car seat (aka "bucket") to a "big kid" car seat.

Joint Party 2013

As mentioned in my previous post, Megan and Ethan's birthdays are two days apart and we tend to have a joint party for them. This year, only Grandpa and Grandma O could make it for the party so here are some pictures of the kids with their gifts.

 Megan and her Thomas Kinkade Disney calendar

 

 Ethan opening his gift

 

Ethan and his new Angry Birds suitcase

The boys' collection of Thomas the Tank Engine trains

Megan's Birthday Party

As many of our friends and family know, Megan and Ethan have their birthdays two days apart so we tend to have a joint birthday party for them. Last year when Megan started Kindergarten, we started allowing her to have her own party with her friends from school. This year, Megan decided to have a girls only party with some of her friends from school. Here are some pictures from her party.

 The cake

 A new Barbie

Art supplies and scented lip balm

 

TinkerBell and friends 

 Lalaloopsy doll

Lego Friends

Hannah-Rose at 4 months

This past month, we celebrated Hannah-Rose turning 4 months just before Christmas. Here's an update on how she's doing:

 

Weight: 14 lbs. 5 oz.

Height: 62 cm

We get lots of smiles and squeals these days and she enjoys spending time in the Jolly Jumper. I will try to post a video of Hannah-Rose in the Jolly Jumper soon.

Christmas 2012

This year, we had Grandpa and Grandma O over for Christmas Day. We started the day the way most CRC families do with the Christmas Day service at our church and then came home to have lunch and open presents. In all the excitement of opening gifts, I forgot to take pictures of all the presents the kids got from Grandpa and Grandma. I did get pictures of Grandpa and Grandma with their presents from us and the kids presents from us. Here are a few pictures from our Christmas celebration this year.

 Santa Grandpa and his elf

 Ethan got Hot Wheels Wall Tracks!

 Megan got Perfection!

 A grader for Casey

 A new toolbox for Grandpa

 A dangling giraffe for Hannah-Rose

Wooden shoes for Grandma (decorative of course!)

Hope all of you had a great Christmas with your families!

Halloween 2012

This year was probably the first year that I can remember where we had to put snowsuits under the kids' Halloween costumes and the first where I took a 2 month old Trick or Treating! Here are some pictures from that night.

Our little "zoo" - Ethan the cow, Casey the monkey, Hannah-Rose the (unhappy) lamb and Megan the unicorn

First house of the night

With Natasha, our favourite babysitter!